Eight residents have died amid a coronavirus outbreak at a retirement home in Georgetown, Ont., local health officials say.
Halton Region Public Health said an outbreak was declared at Mountainview Residence on March 31, with 63 residents and 18 staff members having tested positive for COVID-19 since.
“Halton Region Public Health investigated and determined that the outbreak may have been more widespread than initially determined,” a statement from the health unit said.
“This resulted in testing of all staff and residents, including those who were asymptomatic, and additional measures to isolate confirmed cases and the most at risk.”
Officials said the majority of those who have tested positive are asymptomatic.
As of Friday, eight COVID-19-related deaths were reported in the home.
News of the outbreak at Mountanview Residence came as Halton Region Public Health released information on the number of cases and deaths within long-term care and retirement homes.
“Our commitment to supporting the health and safety of our residents includes a responsibility to protect the privacy of individuals with COVID-19,” Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region’s medical officer of health, said in a statement.
“I have received clarification from the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner and as a result, we are releasing this information … Please be mindful and respect that in this data, each case is a person and has a family who is struggling with a loved one in isolation or grieving a loss.”
Ontario’s Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority is cooperating with health authorities on all outbreaks in the province, including the one at Mountainview Residence, the governing body’s director of communications and stakeholder relations, Kathryn Chopp, told Global News.
“This is an unprecedented time for everyone, but especially for seniors and their loved ones,” she said. “We see this first-hand and know how difficult it has been for all who are impacted.”
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